The present invention is directed to structures and methods for facilitating removal of heat from an electronic component. Electronic modules, such as single chip modules (SCMs) and multichip modules (MCMs), are efficient packages for housing semiconductor devices having a large number of connections. In a stacked multichip module, two or more chips are stacked on top of each other and enclosed within, for example, a single plastic or ceramic package. As a specific example, within a stacked MCM, one or more processor chips may be part of the stack of chips. Depending upon the implementation, MCM packaging permits a large number of chip-to-chip interconnections.
As an electronic component (e.g., chip) operates within an electronic module, heat is generated which must be removed or dissipated. Heat may be dissipated, for example, by a cooling structure such as an aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu) heat sink coupled to or comprising part of a thermally conductive cover of the electronic module. The heat sink absorbs heat from the electronic component, and dissipates the heat, for example, via direct air convection. Heat sinks are well known in the electronics industry, and are used extensively to dissipate heat generated by electronic components used in computers and various other electronic equipment.
Continued improvements in integrated circuit (IC) design and fabrication techniques allow IC manufacturers to produce ever-smaller and more powerful chips, resulting in a continuing need for more effective cooling mechanisms to be employed, including within an electronic module.